The cold, the pain, the shortness of breath...
And suddenly, the pride of having made it to the end.
The summit does not wait for the hesitant; it crowns the daring.
Ready to attempt the impossible?
I crossed the finish line of this Ironman... at an altitude of 4,808 meters, after 24.5 hours of struggle. The Défi Summum was undoubtedly the toughest sporting challenge of my life. It was a chance to redeem myself... and the mountain, after my accident. A bike course worthy of a mountain stage of the Tour de France. Let's be honest, the record was unattainable for me. Sudden changes in temperature: from the solar furnace of the valleys to the bitter cold of the high mountains. The altitude slowing down every step, every breath. Fatigue building up after 228 km and 7,000 meters of elevation gain. And yet... although cycling reminded me of my limits, it seems that I still managed to set the record for the final ascent to the summit of Mont Blanc. One thing is certain: you never reach the summit alone. Thank you to Cyril Blanchard, creator of the event, whose coaching and mental preparation enabled me to hold on after my fall into a crevasse.
Very happy (and proud!) to have completed SUMMUM
An extreme triathlon inspired by Ironman, with the running portion consisting of climbing Mont Blanc in one go.
♂️ Swimming (4k) + cycling (180k 3200d+) + summit of Mont Blanc = 21 hours and 12 minutes of non-stop effort.
Current best time.
An extraordinary adventure, a total challenge.
Thank you to everyone who supported me in this event.
Julien Deneyer is the record holder
Legend SUB24
A quick look back... This weekend was the UTMB, the legendary race around Mont Blanc.
And it reminded me of my adventure in 2009, when I took part in this 170 km ultra trail with 10,000 m of elevation gain. At that time, before I got into ultra-triathlon, I was passionate about ultra-trail running. And the UTMB was one of my biggest dreams. The UTMB taught me patience, resilience, and endurance... qualities that I carried with me into my subsequent challenges.
When I planted the SUMMUM flag at the summit, I wasn't just celebrating a physical achievement, but a way of life. As a mental coach and former record holder, I've learned that performance begins in the mind. Summum forced me to face my fears and my limits, and I pushed forward. It wasn't the first line I crossed, but it was certainly one of the most significant.
Today, I say to everyone: true conquest begins when you accept to persevere rather than perform.
Cyril Blanchard is the first Finisher
Legend SUB24